New Texas biosecure facility will boost sterile fly production to protect livestock
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have announced plans to build a new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas. The project will help protect American livestock, wildlife, and public health from the threat of the New World Screwworm (NWS).
“The Army Corps of Engineers is an essential partner in bringing this facility to life and further highlights the Trump Administration’s government wide effort to fight the New World Screwworm threat in Mexico,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins.
“The Army Corps is the best in the business and their engineering expertise and proven track record in delivering complex projects will help ensure we can build a modern, resilient facility that protects American agriculture from invasive pests for decades to come. This first of its kind facility on U.S. soil will ensure we are not reliant on other countries for sterile flies,” said Rollins.
USACE will partner with USDA by providing design, engineering, and construction oversight for the new facility. Mortenson Construction has been awarded the contract to build the specialized biosecure complex.
“For more than 250 years, USACE has helped secure America by engineering solutions to our nation’s toughest challenges,” said Lt. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers commanding general.
“We are proud to be partnering with USDA in the construction of the Sterile Fly Facility, a critical investment in our nation’s future agricultural, public and economic health. Combining our engineering expertise with USDA’s mission expertise brings us one step closer to alleviating this biological threat,” said William.
The facility is part of a broader federal strategy designed to strengthen the nation’s response to invasive pests that threaten agriculture. Officials say the project will increase the country’s ability to control and eventually eradicate the New World Screwworm.
The sterile fly production facility will raise and sterilize male screwworm flies using irradiation. These sterile flies are then released into affected regions. Female screwworm flies only mate once in their lifetime. When they mate with sterile males, the eggs they produce do not hatch, which gradually reduces the pest population.
This method, known as the Sterile Insect Technique, has been used successfully for decades and is recognized around the world as an effective and environmentally responsible pest control strategy. It works best when combined with surveillance programs, livestock movement controls, and outreach to producers.
Currently, the USDA produces around 100 million sterile flies each week at a facility in Panama. These flies are released in areas where screwworm threats remain active in parts of Mexico. The United States has also supported the renovation of a sterile fly facility in Mexico, which is expected to begin production in 2026.
The new Texas facility will be the first sterile fly production center located on U.S. soil. Once operational, it will work together with facilities in Panama and Mexico to strengthen regional protection against the pest.
Construction is expected to begin later this spring. By November 2027, the facility is projected to produce 100 million sterile flies per week. Long-term plans aim to increase production to 300 million flies weekly.
The New World Screwworm is a dangerous parasitic fly whose larvae feed on living tissue in warm-blooded animals. If uncontrolled, the pest can cause severe animal health problems and major economic losses in agriculture.
Photo Credit: usda